Summary of interesting international articles from the field of orthodontics

Abstract

The miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expander (MARPE) is gaining popularity among orthodontists mainly because it represents the ‘holy grail’ for the correction of the transverse discrepancy of the maxilla. MARPE not only deals with skeletal maxillary expansion but can also be a substitute for surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME). Some sceptics may comment that such an approach in patients over 15 years of age will result in a dentoalveolar pattern due to the closure of the mid-palatine suture. On the other hand, there are others who believe that MARPE is a minimally invasive intervention approach with great potential. Amidst its growing popularity in clinical orthodontics, the current understanding of the treatment effectiveness, efficiency and stability of MARPE needs to be reevaluated to gain a clearer picture of this type of expansion. In the following discussion, three international articles are scrutinized in order to gain a better view.